The Creature
by TheIckleBoots
Summary: I said it was a one-page story previously, and I lied. Now, it's a collection of short stories about a balverine. Who doesn't love an adorable little balverine? Rated T just in case, for violence. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

It crouched in the snow. Quiet. Breath curling in the frosty morning air, dissipating.

It moved, leaving heavy prints in the freshly laid snow, weaving between tall pine trees where it's brethren hid, through the pale stone ruins that jutted out of the ground as if they were trying to escape. It sniffed the air, the scents drifting above.

Houses.

Fire.

Silver.

Ash.

Pine.

Soil.

Perfume...

Woman. A woman.

It moved slower, growing smaller. Fur turned to skin, yellow eyes turning grey. The thing-now-girl pulled her red cloak tightly around skinny shoulders and a slender frame, careful to rip her clothes with the still-present claws. Claws she sheathed in her fingers, now hidden.

She dipped her little fingers in the blood of a doe that lay dead and half-eaten, smearing it across her pale face. Blood that made the insatiable hunger all the worse. Hunger that would be satisfied once she had her prey. Brought it back to the pack. She tangled her auburn hair, and gained a scared look in her eyes, willing warm, salty tears to well in her eyes and slide down her cheeks, making tracks through the blood.

The woman fell for it. Fell into the trap. Embraced the sobbing girl, soothed her, and led her to the travelling caravan. And the pack followed, silent as the falling snow, darting from tree to rock to ground, fast and virtually invisible,

Once she was in the camp, protected from the burning silver nitrate fumes by both her human guise and her cloak, she waited until they all slept. And tossed those torches into the snow, extinguishing them and getting rid of the fumes.

It howled a long note as it's fur grew back, it's form lengthened and hunched, and it's claws emerged. The whole pack leapt upon the sleeping humans, feasting upon the warm, sweet blood, sucking the marrow from the bones and gorging themselves on flesh. A fine meal.

The pack then dragged a body to their Alpha as a sign of respect and submission. Finally, the balverines raced each other upon long, muscled legs, back to their cosy cave to sleep off their filling meal.

A successful hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

The balverine sat in the snow, blood that was not it's own splattered all over it's thick, dark fur. Mainly on it's maw and claws. Deciding to move, the lonely creature made its way through the snow, sniffing the air. It wasn't really looking for food, just something to do. Not it's pack, the pack had been murdered. And the balverine padding through the snow still had a limp from that attack.

Pine.

Snow.

Blood.

Timber wolf.

Human cub.

It was curious. Human cubs never went far without grown humans, but this one was on it's own. And injured.

The balverine followed the scent, hastening then going back to limping with a growl of pain. It found the human cub. Small. Male. Shivering, cold? It's leg was injured. The same leg as the balverine. Similar injury. He was scared. Too tired, or injured, to run away.

It sniffed around. Circled the human cub. It was so cold. The thing moved closer, and sat, looking at the male human cub with inquisitive eyes. It wanted to kill the cub. But it didn't. And that was confusing.

The male cub reached out a tentative hand, and patted the creature's head.

That felt...not painful. So the balverine pushed its head into the boy's hand, eager for more. And it got more. It wanted to keep this one. So it crouched lower, and waited. And when the cub did nothing, it grabbed him by the cloth casing and tossed him onto its back.

Then, it started to run, growled each time it used its injured leg, but impatient. Then, it reached its home.

Once, it had been filled with the pack. Now, the whole place was empty. The creature dropped the boy when it reached the warmth of its favourite cave. The boy was still shivering. So the creature curled up around the boy to warm him, and they slept safely that night.


End file.
